Collations for fasteners of various lengths

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention a collation comprises a plurality of sleeves for supporting and carrying a plurality of fasteners through a magazine, wherein each of the plurality of sleeves have a front and a predetermined length of between about ¼ and about 0.4 inch, each of the plurality of fasteners have a predetermined length of between about ¾ inch and about 1½ inch and a tip located at a predetermined position from about 0.05 inch behind the sleeve front to about ¼ inch beyond the sleeve front, frangible bridges integrally connecting the plurality of sleeves together in a serial array and facilitating the separation of a leading one of the plurality of sleeves from remaining ones of the plurality of serially arranged sleeves when a drive member of the fastener driving tool drives a leading one of the fasteners disposed within the leading one of the sleeves, and a plurality of protrusions from the sleeves for engaging the rails in the magazine. In another aspect, a system of collations comprises a plurality of first collations each having a plurality of sleeves each having a front, the sleeves holding first fasteners having a tip located at a predetermined position relative to the sleeve front, and a plurality of second collations each having a plurality of second sleeves each having a front, the second sleeves holding second fasteners having a different length than the first fasteners and a tip located at the same predetermined position relative to the front of the second sleeves.

1. A system of collations for supplying fasteners of at least two different lengths to a fastener driving tool, comprising:
 a plurality of first collations each having a plurality of sleeves each having a front and sides, said sleeves holding first fasteners having a tip located at a predetermined position relative to said front and having a first neck length; and 
 a plurality of second collations each having a plurality of second sleeves each having a front and sides, said second sleeves holding second fasteners having a tip located at said predetermined position relative to said front of said second sleeves and having a second neck length, wherein said second fasteners are of different length than said first fasteners; 
 said plurality of first collations having rail engaging means on each side of said plurality of sleeves and said plurality of second collations having rail engaging means on each side of said plurality of second sleeves; 
 wherein said predetermined position of said tips is selected in order to reduce dive-back and improve guidance of said first fasteners and said second fasteners. 
 
   
   
     2. A system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third collations each having a plurality of third sleeves each having a front and sides, said third sleeves holding third fasteners having a tip located at said predetermined position relative to said front of said third sleeves, wherein said third fasteners are of different length than said first fasteners and said second fasteners, and said plurality of third collations having rail engaging means on each side of said plurality of third sleeves;
 wherein said predetermined position of said tip is selected in order to reduce dive-back and improve guidance of said third fasteners. 
 
   
   
     3. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined position of each of said tips is between a point recessed about 0.1 inch behind said front to about  1 / 2  inch beyond said front. 
   
   
     4. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined position of each of said tips is between a point recessed about 0.05 inch behind said front to about  1 / 4  inch beyond said front. 
   
   
     5. A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined position of each of said tips is about 0.2 inch beyond said front.